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Residence permit after arriving for study in China: the 30-day rule

If your study visa says you must apply for a residence permit after you enter China, you must apply within 30 days counted from the date of your entry. You apply to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ at the place where you intend to live. The main rules are in Order No. 42, Article 36, and in Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law.

The 30-day rule in the two main texts

Order No. 42 is published in Chinese. The English wording of Article 36 below is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

Article 36: Where an international student's study-type visa is annotated that a residence permit must be handled after entry, the student shall, within thirty days from the date of entry, apply to the exit-entry administration department of the public security organ at the intended place of residence for a study-type foreigner's residence permit. (Order No. 42, Article 36)

Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, in the English text published by the National Immigration Administration, sets a 30-day period for foreigners whose visa specifies that they need to apply for a residence permit after entry. The period runs "from the date of their entry." Article 30 uses the word "foreigners" and does not name the study-type permit in that sentence.

Where to apply

  • Order No. 42, Article 36 names the exit-entry administration department of the public security organ at the intended place of residence.
  • Article 30 of the Law names the exit-entry administrations of public security organs under local people's governments at or above the county level, in the proposed place of residence.
  • The Chinese service guide, section (三) on accepting offices (受理机构), says the National Immigration Administration entrusts residence permit applications to exit-entry bodies of public security organs at prefecture-level cities (including districts and counties under municipalities directly under the central government) or above. The English wording here is this site's translation of that Chinese text.
  • The same section says county-level exit-entry bodies may accept applications under the Administration's entrustment, after the provincial-level body requests and the Administration approves.

Documents for a study-type permit

The English service guide on residence permits, section b (Student-type Residence Permit), says:

A foreigner entering China with an X1 visa shall submit a letter from the school/university indicating the term of study, and a letter of admission or enrollment. Foreigners entering with other categories of visa shall submit supporting materials issued by competent authorities.

The Chinese service guide adds two points in item 2 (学习类, study type). The English here is this site's translation of that Chinese text.

  • If the relevant materials are already registered in the National Management Information System for Foreign Students in China, paper materials may be exempted.
  • A residence permit may be issued with a validity period that matches the study term the school states.

Health certificate

Under the Chinese service guide, section (二) (申请居留证件所需证明材料), a foreigner who applies for a residence permit valid for one year or more shall submit a physical health certificate, as required by the rules. The English here is this site's translation of that Chinese text. The certificate must come from the local health quarantine department or a county-level or higher health medical department. It must confirm that the applicant does not have:

  1. a serious mental disorder;
  2. infectious pulmonary tuberculosis;
  3. another infectious disease that could cause major harm to public health.

Validity period

Article 30 of the Law sets the validity of a non-work-type foreigner's residence permit at 180 days at the minimum and five years at the maximum. For a study-type permit, the Chinese service guide (item 2 of section (二)) says the permit may match the study term stated by the school, as described above.

Work or internship while on a student permit

These two statements come from different texts and are separate rules.

  • The English service guide, section b, says a student permit holder who intends to work part-time or take an internship outside the school must, with the school's approval, apply for remarks on the permit stating the location and duration.
  • The English service guide, section b, also says a student permit holder without the required remarks shall not be allowed to work or take an internship outside the school.
  • Item 2 of the Chinese service guide says that for part-time work or off-campus internship, the applicant must submit letters from the school and the employer agreeing to it.

Suggestion, not a rule

Before you travel, you may find it useful to have your school letter and your admission or enrollment letter ready, because the study-type application asks for them. This is a suggestion only.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council or any university, and it is not legal advice. If the official text differs from this page, the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case prevail.

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